Our View: Facilities show we must try harder

Tauranga prides itself on being a popular tourist destination.
Kiwis and foreigners flock to the region year-round for our beautiful beaches, great climate and range of tourist attractions.
But with this comes responsibility. We must ensure our shops are accessible, our beaches clean and our services and facilities are of a standard befitting a city of this size and popularity.
News that a central city baby change facility is not up to scratch is embarrassing, to say the least.
In Saturday's Bay of Plenty Times Weekend, Tauranga mums spoke of their disgust at the state of the city's amenities. One mum told how the facility in Elizabeth St was covered in ash and burn marks and smelled of urine.
The recent closure of the Goddards Centre toilets has not helped matters, with some Tauranga mums choosing to shop at malls rather than in the CBD.
Decked out with private feeding rooms, play areas, changing stations, children's toilets and microwaves, shopping centres are a more attractive and convenient option for mums than the downtown.
Some said have said it's not the toilet facilities that are the problem but the unhygienic habits of the people who used them. While the council cannot control those who use the facilities, perhaps it needs to reconsider its upkeep of the facilities.
Downtown Tauranga manager Kirby Weis recognises the need to address the issue and says he is working with the council to establish if there are adequate facilities in the city. He is concerned about the current situation and says it is a matter that could be raised with the city's leaders.
However when this newspaper approached the council we received an inadequate response.
A senior staff member says council is satisfied there are enough public toilets and baby change facilities in the CBD but does not directly address the claims made by Tauranga mums.
Not only do we have the influx of tourists with the Rugby World Cup to impress, there are the very people who pay for these facilities that we are putting off visiting our city centre.
We are constantly hearing that businesses are struggling in these tough economic conditions - the city council and retailer groups should be doing everything in their power to make our CBD an attractive place to shop.
Perhaps microwaves and recliner chairs are an extravagance for baby change facilities but it is a disgrace that a city the size of Tauranga cannot offer even simple amenities that meet basic hygiene standards.
If we want people to spend their hard-earned dollars in our city - and to make return visits - it is vital we lift our standards.
Related story: Filthy facilities shock Bay mums